Should I meditate when I can't sleep or before bed?

Both, but with different goals. Pre-bed meditation can help with sleep onset anxiety and racing thoughts about tomorrow. Middle of the night meditation (when you wake at 2am or 3am) focuses on being awake with less panic. Early morning meditation (4am or 5am wake-ups) acknowledges that sleep might be done for the night. StillMind’s AI adapts sessions based on what you’re experiencing. If you’ve been lying awake for 20+ minutes, meditation can help reduce the mounting panic. If pre-bed anxiety is preventing sleep onset, sessions target anticipatory worries. The approach changes based on insomnia type and timing. Some people find short sessions (2 to 5 minutes) work better than long ones when sleep-deprived and frustrated.